Eating more green leafy vegetables may reduce Type 2 diabetes risk, study finds
Last updated 8/23/2010 1:56:19 PM
Eating more green leafy vegetables may reduce Type 2 diabetes risk
Research published today in the British Medical Journal claims eating more green leafy vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The authors, led by Patrice Carter at the University of Leicester, reviewed six studies, involving over 220,000 people, that focused on the links between fruit and vegetable consumption and Type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to devastating complications such as amputation, heart disease and stroke if untreated. The researchers found that eating one and a half extra servings of green leafy vegetables a day reduces the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 14 per cent.
Dr Iain Frame, Director of Research at Diabetes UK, said: "We already know that the health benefits of eating vegetables are far-reaching, but this is the first time that there has been a suggested link specifically between green, leafy vegetables and a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes," said "However, because of the relatively limited number of studies collated in this analysis it is too early to isolate green leafy vegetables and present them alone as a method to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes."
The researchers say there is a need for further investigation into the potential benefits of green leafy vegetables.